Song and dance for Cunard

Passengers on Cunard’s new Queen Elizabeth will be able to take a trip on the London Underground when the ship begins sailing in October.
The Piccadilly Line, set in the shell of a Tube train carriage, will be one of the regular production shows in the ship’s Royal Court Theatre.
There will be 29 singers, dancers, actors and musicians in the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Company, and their biggest show will be Slice of Saturday Night, a pastiche of 1960s music which has been staged in London and toured extensively throughout Britain and the USA.
Adapted especially for the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Company by its original writers, the Heather Brothers, ‘Slice of Saturday Night’ features all of the Theatre Company members, the largest production show that Cunard has ever staged.
Other performances will include Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, and a portmanteau triple bill featuring scenes from three Neil Simon plays: Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Plaza Suite, and The Odd Couple.
Hotel Royale is a musical production featuring 16 singers and dancers who whimsically bring to life the story of a hotel which is past its prime – once the playground of the rich and famous, it is now home to some quirky staff and unusual guests.
Queen Elizabeth’s passengers will also be able to take part in a specially written panel quiz show based on TV shows such as Have I Got News For You and QI.
Peter Shanks, Cunard’s managing director, said ” The entertainment on Queen Elizabeth is the most extensive ever seen on a Cunard liner, mixing tradition with satire. The Royal Court Theatre is as good as any London West End or Broadway Theatre. We offer something for everybody.”

2 Comments

With all the positive press about Norwegian Epic’s entertainment line-up, the choices on Queen Elizabeth seem rather staid. And yet, I think I prefer it that way. I’d rather Cunard keep one eye on tradition, and not try to be the new razzle-dazzle flavor of the month.

How very British! Nice to see we are very much represented on the new Cunard ship. I am not quite sure I can picture how this ‘Picadilly Line’ will work but I am certainly looking forward to seeing it. It seems Cunard are focusing on what people like and think is important on their ships; food and entertainment. With so many new and innovative ships launching this year, it is nice to see Cunard are staying traditional!